Hip-Hop Legend Lil Wayne to Make His Long-Awaited Return to the “VMAs” with First Performance in 10+ Years [VIDEO]

Lil Wayne, Anitta, Doja Cat, Kelsea Ballerini, and TOMORROW X TOGETHER are joining the ever-growing roster of global superstars slated to perform at the 2023 “VMAs,” airing LIVE from New Jersey’s Prudential Center on Tuesday, September 12th @ 8PM ET/PT.

Lil Wayne
The 5x GRAMMY Award-winning and multi-platinum global music icon returns to the “VMAs” stage for the first time in more than a decade where he will perform his new single dropping on 9/1, “Kat Food”, live for the very first time. With a discography highlighted by over 120 million records sold worldwide including 26 million albums, Lil Wayne has cemented his legacy as one of the best-selling artists in history and one of the most influential artists in Hip-Hop. In 2022, Lil Wayne earned his first Diamond certification from the RIAA with his generational smash hit “Lollipop” feat. Static Major. The 14x nominee will once again compete in the “Best Hip-Hop” category for the coveted Moon Person, an award he first won in 2008.

Anitta
Global sensation Anitta sets her return to the storied MTV stage where she will bring Brazilian Funk to the masses performing a medley of hits from her latest release Funk Generation: A Favela Love Story. The performance arrives on the heels of last year’s fiery debut where she also made history with her first “VMAs” win as the only Brazilian to ever take home an MTV Moon Person. She looks to repeat her win in the “Best Latin” category this year.

Doja Cat
The 4x “VMAs” and GRAMMY® Award-winning global superstar, is set to make her MTV return following her memorable hosting and mesmerizing gravity-defying performance of “Been Like This” and “You Right” in 2021, where she also took home two awards including “Best Collaboration.” The 23x nominee is up for 5 awards this year, including “Best Video of the Year” and “Artist of the Year.” She last won in 2022 for “Best Choreography.” Her first-ever North American tour will kick off later this year with Ice Spice and Doechii.

Kelsea Ballerini
Multi-platinum country superstar Kelsea Ballerini is slated for a show-stopping “VMAs” debut performance, treating fans to a world premiere performance off the expanded version of her latest deeply personal, critically-acclaimed EP Rolling Up The Welcome Mat (For Good). Kelsea’s first-time appearance on the storied MTV stage comes on the same day as her 30th birthday (Sep 12) and in the midst of a record-breaking year for the songstress, who just wrapped three sold out legs of her headlining tour and a successful trio of coast-to-coast fan screenings for the EPs short film, which she wrote and co-directed.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER (“TXT”) featuring Anitta
The global Gen Z icons and former MTV PUSH artists will premiere a brand new single and make history with their “VMAs” debut as the first K-Pop band to cross-genre for an international performance with Brazilian superstar and global sensation Anitta. Ahead of their highly-anticipated 3rd studio album The Name Chapter: FREEFALL, slated for October release, the Billboard 200 topping 4x nominated group hopes to win a Moon Person for “Best K-Pop” and “Push Performance of the Year.”

Previously announced “VMAs” news includes:

PERFORMERS: These five new performers join the increasingly star-packed lineup of Demi Lovato, Karol G, Måneskin, and Stray Kids. Additional performers to be announced soon.

VIDEO VANGUARD AWARD: Global sensation Shakira will receive MTV’s coveted honor, presented by Toyota, and perform live for the first time since 2006.

NOMINATIONS: Taylor Swift (8) leads, closely followed by SZA (6), Doja Cat, Kim Petras, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Olivia Rodrigo and Sam Smith (5 each), and BLACKPINK, Diddy and Shakira (4 each).

VOTING: Fans voting at vote.mtv.com closes tomorrow for 15 gender-neutral categories, including the highly-coveted “Video of the Year,” presented by Burger King®; voting for “Best New Artist” will remain active into the show. Nominations for social categories including “Group of the Year” and “Song of Summer” presented by M&M’S®, will be announced at a later date.

ACTIVATION: BACARDÍ, MTV, and Paramount Brand Studio will pay tribute to 50 Years of Hip Hop with an experiential BACARDÍ VINTAGE Pop-Up Shop, Limited Edition Bottle, Signature VMA Cocktails, and more. Get the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME® plan for $11.99 a month. Try it FREE!

CREDITS: Bruce Gillmer and Den of Thieves co-founder Jesse Ignjatovic are Executive Producers. Barb Bialkowski is Co-Executive Producer. Alicia Portugal and Jackie Barba serve as Executives in Charge of Production. Wendy Plaut is Executive in Charge of Celebrity Talent. Lisa Lauricella is Music Talent Executive.